Authenticity and Tricky Topics

Any time we write, paint, sculpt, or use any medium to portray actual life, it will not be an exact replica. There is no way to translate every nuance and detail into the art. This is the case with fiction and nonfiction, one may try to be as genuine as possible but there will often be something missing. Nevertheless, a writer does not need the exact words or the very emotions to convey his/her message.  Using the magic of imagination, an author can allow the readers an experience, which can be better than actual life.

In Douglas Thayer’s novel Will Wonders Never Cease the author portrays a family with a teenage son. Contrary to the typical Mormon stereotypes the son; Kyle has not embraced the life that his family or his mother especially promotes.  Since this novel is fiction, Thayer could explore the doubts and fears of a teenage boy in the church without the burden of it being a true story.

I think sometimes we handle hard topics better when they are set in a fictional setting, instead of taking things so seriously we can empathize and allow the characters to grow without judgment. Often authors do not want to share all the difficult true stuff because they do not want to be judged. The next best thing is to make up a character and give him the experiences or background that need to be shared. So that through fiction authors are able to be more authentic with their thoughts and characters than with perhaps a nonfiction story. 

This type of literature is very refreshing as we watch Kyle change from a boy that is not sure about much to a young man that has faced death and has come back with strong beliefs.  It is serious but with a touch of humor that keeps a reader going.

I believe that the audience for such a novel benefits from the authenticity that the author gives to the characters and also the situation. Although the circumstan 

ces that Kyle overcomes are very extraordinary, it takes nothing away from the believability.

The Sincerity in the "Prayer" by S.P. Bailey

I laughed out loud while reading this poem and then I was touched.  In the poem “Prayer” by S.P. Bailey tells the story of a boy’s picture day as a first grader. The poet paints scene for the readers and we cannot help but relate to the situation. The poet has a sincerity of tone and an ability to describe such an important life event.

It was picture day. Me: a first grader. I was all ready.

Hair combed. Shirt tucked in tight. Tie clipped on.

Mom’s orders were clear:

            No getting dirty or messing up my hair

            No riding my bike. No playing in the sandpile.

            No playing outside at all.

These six lines pull to mind a young boy that often gets dirty while playing. He is a little rambunctious but he has a desire to please his mother. Each reader can remember picture day and how they tried to make sure they were clean until the click of the camera. The poet repeats the orders from mom with a very parallel format. Just as if a mother would try to get her son to understand, she instructs ““No” getting dirty” with an emphasis on the “No.”

Later on in the poem the little boy decides to follow the spirit of the law and but still have fun. Only then he is in his playhouse and gets caught in a rainstorm. He is so afraid of disappointing his mother. He prays with the sincerity of a little boy.  The rain stops. He is sure that he saw the finger of the Lord. God stopped the rain for him.

The part of the poem that really stood out to me was the boy’s sincerity that God listened to him and answered his prayers. The poet compared this kind of faith with that of an adult that would think that it was a “coincidence” that the rain stopped. I like to stop and acknowledge gifts from God. Sometimes it is seeing a squirrel, sometimes it is when things work out with my rent and sometimes it is when I have prayed for my sister and she starts to do better. I hope that I always remember where all gifts come from and never think "oh it was a coincidence." 

The "Good News"

2013. The year of sisters getting mission calls. This was a crazy time and anyone could be next to get called on a mission. Some girls kept it private until they received the letter that they were going to serve a mission. So some events seemed a little out of the blue or unexpected “mission call opening events.” Facebook posts, blogs, Instagram and all social media were bursting with pictures of girls with large white letters or scripture quotes or videos of the special event. Everywhere I looked there was someone with a large white envelope bursting with good news.

Kellie was always excited for them, clapping and cheering with such enthusiasm that I couldn’t seem to muster. She is one of those sympathetic people that always try to take an interest in another’s life. As a somewhat selfish individual, I wanted to develop that quality that seemed to come so naturally to her.

That night it was Jackie’s turn to open her call and so we walked across the dark cold hallway of our apartment complex to support/satisfy our curiosity. The group gathered on the couches, seated in chairs, and lounging on the floor ranged from close friends and family to people she had met yesterday. As a general rule, it didn’t really matter if you knew the person that well, everyone was invited to come over and watch that lucky one open their envelope and see where they would serve as a missionary for a year and a half.

 After about 12 of us were seated in the living room, Jackie brought out the envelope. She held it with care as if it were something precious and not just a large white paper envelope. I imagined that she had waited by the mailbox everyday just to see if it had come yet.

We started guessing at the places she could go and what language she could possibly learn. I yelled my vote for Belgium and others were guessing somewhere in South America. We turned back our attention to her and we asked her where she wanted to go. She responded with a small smile and the standard “anywhere the Lord sends me”, and then added on in a bit of a rush “BUT if I had to choose I would pick Italy.”

 I had resolved to put on a convincing show this time and be super happy for her. If I was not vocal about my ecstatic joy for her then I was not supporting the missionaries. So I got ready. I was on the edge of my seat. I was prepared to cheer and jump up and down.

Going on a mission is a pretty big deal, in The Book of Mormon there is a legacy of missionaries going out of their home countries to share their beliefs about God to people of foreign lands. Like the Alma in The Book of Mormon who was called of God to teach the gospel, youth today can be called to go and be missionaries. At this moment it was Jackie’s turn to see where the Lord had called her.

Finally she slipped open the envelope and began reading. “Sister Brown you are hereby called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Florence Italy Mission.”

My breath caught and I could not believe it, people very rarely got sent where they wanted to go. I mean there was always a chance but I had never been to a mission call opening where that happened. My eyes widened. I started clapping and jumped up to give her a hug. It was so amazing and her prayers were answered for sure, I thought, this day. It was a gift from God to His daughter.

“No way!” and “Oh my gosh!” and other such phrases were being tossed around the room. I joined in with relish but I soon noticed someone missing in the celebrations.

I looked over at Kellie, sitting on the couch, legs crossed and smiling but absolutely not her normal gushing self.

Suddenly, I was suspicious.

And then I knew. The letter was a fake and we had been tricked. Good one Jackie, good one.

This is real, this is me

Inner Struggle

After two years at BYU I was done. I had no direction and was floundering in all my classes. Maybe I needed a change? I talked with my mother and I decided to leave BYU and try cosmetology school for a while. That was the plan. After the general conference in which the prophet changed the age that missionaries could leave, I was unchanged. I had a plan and I never had the plan to be a missionary. The next day my mom called me excited and asked me to think it over and pray about it. I angrily told her I would. I gave my desires to God that night in prayer and cried when I received the answer to go on a mission. It was a good thing and so many of my friends were so excited. What was wrong with me? Was I a bad person? I started my mission papers and received my call. I kept having this struggle in my mind. It was what I was supposed to do, there was no doubt, but I had yet to really want to do it myself. Those 5 months before I left were the hardest in my life.

Scripture

During my mission I struggled everyday to lose myself in the work as I was sick and sad often. One particularly hard day I was sitting in sacrament meeting and I was not only sick physically but my heart broke. I watched people that did not take this meeting seriously. The people left and got up after the sacrament. Children screamed and ran around. Everyone was disrespecting the speaker and no one was listening. The task was so impossible. How could we change anything? There was just two of us. I wanted to leave too eventually because I wanted to go cry. I opened up my Book of Mormon and read Nephi’s psalm. I read “ I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness.” At no other time has this scripture brought my so much comfort. I read over and over the words. He would be my support and I knew in whom I trusted.

Wilderness Quest

 Just the other day I walked home from taking a test at the testing center. I was worn out from studying and just wanted to forget the whole thing. I was also wearing new shoes so my feet hurt from blisters. I needed a break, if only to rest   It was not really a religious time but more of a moment of peace. Peace that all would be resolved.  Without the distraction of roommates, homework, tv or laundry I was able to reflect on nature.  I have loved squirrels for a while and they are my favorite animal. It was almost like God was giving me a gift. In that moment, He knew that I needed a sign that He was there. 

my feet. Usually I just walk straight home but that day I took some time to stop. Over by the duck pond there are benches so I sat down and took a moment. I watched a squirrel and spied on the family taking family photos below me. They seemed happy but ready to be done for sure. I took my shoes off and glanced around me. Life seemed so much simpler here.

The Book of Mormon and Life

Paying attention to character

1 Nephi 17- Nephi is commanded to build a ship and receives a lot of bad attitude from his brothers. He is saddened by their inability to accept him and his goal but does not give up.

Paying attention to figurative language

1 Nephi 20- Isaiah is quoted and he uses words and phrases that are very different than the diction of Nephi or the other authors. Words like “sinew” and phrases like “furnace of affliction” marks a change in the authors’ education and ability to speak/write. 

Paying attention to setting

1 Nephi 16- Nephi and his family move around and name the areas that they inhabit. I assume that Nephi did not write much during this time because of the lack of important events and the need to keep up his strength while traveling.

Paying attention to character

Although Jeremy did not mention it in his posts I assume as some point of reading scriptures with his daughter she will be in a bad mood or too tired.  Jeremy might be saddened by the fact that his daughter is not doing well but he will persevere because he knows it is important for his family.

Paying attention to setting

Keegan went on a mission to Angola and a lot changed in his world. The change in setting affecting the way he thought and how he communicated with his family. When you are on a mission there are some weeks that are more filled with experiences than others.

Paying attention to figurative language

This is a bit of a stretch but when Amanda served in Nauvoo in the pageant I am sure that there was a difference in the language they used. The everyday diction and how they expressed themselves changed because of their desire to share the gospel through song and the word.

Family is the greatest and the worst!

Physical Experience

-japanese fan

-the smell of vinegar

-hunger in my belly

-pain in my arm from fanning

-excitement for yummy food

Scenes

-white angel on top of a food storage bucket

-singing songs in harmony

-comfy chairs with lots of snuggling

-christmas as a time with family

-comfort and a security of being with family

-family all around me

-focus on the season

-warmth of the heater

Speech

-anger of my dad

-fear at what would happen

-emotional

-crazy escalated

-“What did I just say?”

Emotion in the moment

-Embarrassment at being caught

-Anger at my neighbor

-Betrayal of someone I thought was a friend

-Homework that needed to be done

-Seminary is not something that I loved

-Unified parents which was a strange thing

-Mistrust in me

People of Consequence- My sister Katrina

-Smart like a whip

-Absentminded sometimes, she get forgets unimportant things

-Adventurous and willing to try

-Books are her life

-Silly girl

-Dancing and playing Just dance together

-Musical and tries her hardest

-Skinny like a bean

-Witty in her humor

The Envelope

2013. The year of sisters getting mission calls. Everywhere I looked there was someone with a large white envelope bursting with good news. My friend Kellie was always so excited for them, clapping and cheering with such enthusiasm that I couldn’t seem to muster.

That night it was Jackie’s turn to open her call and so we as good members of the ward walked across the hall to support/satisfy our curiosity. As a rule, it didn’t really matter if you knew the person that well, everyone was invited to come over and watch that lucky one open their envelope.

 After about 12 of us were seated in the living room, Jackie brought out the envelope. We started guessing at the places and what language that letter would say. I yelled out Belgium and others were guessing somewhere in South America. We asked her where she wanted to go. And of course the standard “anywhere the Lord sends me, BUT if I had to choose I would pick Italy”. I had resolved to put on a better show this time and be super happy for her. If I was not vocal about my ecstatic joy for her then I was not supporting the missionaries. Finally she slipped open the envelope and started reading. “Sister Brown you are hearby called to serve in the Florence Italy Mission.”

My breath caught and I could not believe it, people very rarely got sent where they wanted to go. I started clapping and jumped up to give her a hug. It was so amazing and her prayers were answered for sure this day. “No way” and “Oh my gosh” were being tossed around the room. But there was someone missing in all the cheering.

I looked over at Kellie and she was smiling but not her normal gushing self. Suddenly I was suspicious.

The letter was fake.

Tone and Message Depending on Audience: Elder Russell M. Nelson

Depending on the audience of the conference Elder Russell M. Nelson, a leader in the LDS faith, uses a different tone and style. In “Ask the Missionaries! They can help you!” (October 2012) he is talking to those not very familiar with the church so his tone is very helpful and simple. In "Sustaining the Prophet " (October 2014) he is speaking to the church so he does not explain as much the vocabulary. 

In October 2012 there was a change in our church policy. The age in which missionaries could start their 2 year service changed to 18 for young men and 19 for young women. In light of the news of the age change for missionaries, he spoke in October 2012 to people learning about the church and also as a secondary audience, he instructed the missionaries on what they needed to do. In this talk he has a very simple form to his talk and definitely easy to follow. He lists the things that the missionaries can help people with, he is focused on the nonmembers but if members need help they can ask the missionaries as well. With each topic he either tells a story or expounds a little on that then moves on. In the end he shares his testimony or his beliefs and that is the end of his talk. It was not a complex message but it had a big influence on the church. He repeated, “ask the missionaries” so many times that people remembered it afterwards. If there is anything that people want to know the missionaries are their first option.

In comparison, Elder Nelson’s talk about sustaining the prophet, was catered toward members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Comparing this talk and the former, he did not have the tone as if he were talking to investigators or converts.  In this talk he uses many quotes by previous prophets, pictures of prophets, and a personal story of how he followed the counsel of the prophets. I believe he used the same slow voice when he talked which may be a result of his days as a doctor consoling patients. Because of his background as a world renowned surgeon, it is not surprising that he speaks with such care and love. He spoke as one of the audience saying "this gives us confidence" compared to speaking to the nonmembers or new members. In this talk he was more focused on hard doctrine and evidence with a strong testimony of the prophet. It was not as memorable with no catch phrase like “ask the missionaries” but his testimony is strong.

Laman and Lemuel

Instances of the spoken word

1 Nephi 16:1 Laman and Lemuel respond to Nephi (dialogue)

1 Nephi 16: 2-3 Nephi responds to brethren (dialogue/sermon)

1 Nephi 16: 23 Nephi asks father where to go to find food (dialogue)

vs. 26 Voice of the Lord to Lehi (instruction/dialogue)

vs. 35 Daughters of Ishmael murmur to Nephi and Lehi(dialogue)

vs. 37-38 Laman talks to Lemuel and sons of Ishmael to slay Nephi and Lehi (dialogue)

vs. 39 Voice of Lord chastens Laman, Lemuel, sons of Ishmael (dialogue)

1 Nephi 17:1-9 Lord and Nephi (dialogue)

vs. 17-22 Brethren murmur against Nephi (dialogue)

vs. 23-47 Nephi responds with doctrine (sermon)

vs 48-51 Nephi commands brothers (dialogue)

vs. 53 Lord speaks to Nephi to shock brothers (dialogue)

vs. 55 Laman and Lemuel  say they feel the power of Lord (dialogue)

vs. 56 Nephi asks brothers not to worship him but God (sermon/dialogue)

1 Nephi 19 vs 11-17 Words of Zenos (sermon)

vs 24 Nephi introduces Isaiah to Laman and Lemuel (dialogue)

1 Nephi 22 vs 1-31 Nephi teaches brethren (sermon)                                                           

I chose to analyze 1 Nephi 17: 17-22 as Laman and Lemuel murmur against Nephi. In this section Laman and Lemuel show their true character. They see Nephi struggling to follow the commands that the Lord has given him and they take advantage of the situation. I think it is interesting that Laman and Lemuel make themselves out to be the good guys who are thinking about their families and the hardship they have had to go through compared to Nephi who does not care who suffers. If we just read Laman and Lemuel’s part of the story we would probably sympathized with them, giving them pathos. They do not understand the will of the Lord so from their perspective Nephi is in the wrong. This passage is not a conversation but in the next couple of verses after this Nephi responds with intense doctrine. From this passage we can clearly see the emotional appeal and the brothers trying to convince Nephi to give up. Fortunately they underestimated the character of Nephi.

17 And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.

 18 And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord.

 19 And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.

 20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.

 21 Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.

22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him

Bold but Respectful

Paul writes to the Corinthians that God uses the weak things of the world, the simple words, and the inefficient speaker to shoot the message through the heart of the intended. Something that makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of the message is whether the speaker truly believes it and truly says it with conviction. To be an effective speaker one must believe in it, use simple and concise words, and convey direct imagery or metaphors. Appealing to the audience’s sense of reason, emotion or character help a speaker convey his message.  If the Spirit is with you then the speaker and the audience can be edified together.

As I analyzed Jeffrey R Holland’s address to the students at BYU, I was amazed with his power: his words, his references, his character and his appeals full of love for those in his audience.  In the beginning he used appeals through reason as he spoke of reports, studies and news to back up his point. Next he appeals to our emotions by using words, metaphors and imagery as support. One example of his emotional appeal is when, in reference to the sacred powers of procreation, he said “And when one toys with the Son of Righteousness, the Day Star himself, one toys with white heat and a flame hotter and holier than the noonday sun. You cannot do so and not be burned. You cannot with impunity “crucify Christ afresh”.”

Throughout the whole message, we listen to him and pay attention because of his character. We know who he is and he has credibility, and he shows us he cares with his words of love. He believes in what he is saying and that his message is important. One of the most important parts of his address is his tone of honest and open but respectful communication. His boldness is evident in his speech but so is his respect for the sacred.  

Love of God

1. Form Analyzed

I analyzed a metaphor and reference used in my section of The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition.

2. Passage Analyzed

I analyzed 1 Nephi 21:14 which was within my section, 1 Nephi 16-22.

But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not. For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

4. Breakdown

Nephi quotes Isaiah’s words in this section with Isaiah's signature of metaphors and references.

5. Interpretation

Isaiah compares the woman and her child to God and the House of Israel. Isaiah, speaking for God says that He remembers all his children. He shows that the love of a mother is nothing compared to the love that God has for His children.  When it says “graven thee upon the palms of my hands” it is a reference to the crucifixion. As He died, he literally took upon himself our pains and sins. The word “graven” is very permanent just like the work that Christ did for us.

6. Connections/Questions

In this part of the scriptures I feel like God can get frustrated with the House of Israel for their stubbornness. How often do we need reminding that we are important to Him. In general conferences, rarely did we hear anything shocking but I think that may be changing now as we are being called to be better. The use of the metaphors and references in this passage helps us understand that God will never forget us. Eliza questioned whether the metaphors in her passage were meant to instruct future readers. Similarly, I question if the metaphors can bring us to a deeper understanding of the doctrine.  

Father and Son

For my first year of EFY I traveled to the University of Utah with my brother and a good friend. Excited and enjoying the experience, we waited for the welcoming fireside by our session director. After all these years I still remember the story.

He told a story of a train controller and the man’s son. One day his son came to work with him and they enjoyed a nice day. He heard a train whistle and knew he needed to raise the bridge and let the train go through. Unfortunately at the moment he needed to push the lever and lower the bridge, he looked down and saw that his son had slipped through and was stuck in the gears of the bridge. The father had to make a decision whether to save the hundreds of people in the train or his son. The father was heartbroken but pushed the lever to lower the bridge. Just like this father, Heavenly Father also made a decision. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever would believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

When my session director used this story to make a startling metaphor, he was trying to make an impact on our minds. Sometimes as youth we feel like we have heard everything and know all, so I think we needed something that penetrated into our hearts. I am not saying this is exactly doctrine but I will say that it helped me understand the love that our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. I know it was always part of The Plan that Christ would die but this story helped me actually feel it in a different way. I had a newfound love and gratefulness for Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Light and Darkness

In Orson Whitney’s speech “Home Literature”, one of the topics he teaches is the importance of truth. He says that no matter where and who creates finds it, truth is truth.  God, or more specifically the Holy Ghost, inspires truth. In the history of the human race God has inspired men and woman to share truth with others through literature, music, oral tradition and other mediums.

What happens though, when there is so much truth in a book but it also has its flaws? Do we love it and revere it? Do we take the good without the bad? Can we truly understand the truthful part without the other part?

In Nephi Anderson’s Added Upon, as readers, we must make this distinction. This book is full of great imagery and excels in its ability to transport a reader to the premortal realm.  Anderson sheds light on what it may have been like to fight Lucifer in the battle of the minds.  The truth is that the children of God are mighty and fully capable beating evil.  In this life we are really in a battle of the minds.

In a world where the Adversary fights so hard for our souls, it is comforting that there are people who listen to the Spirit. I believe it is a way that the Lord is fighting against Satan and a way that the Lord intends to bring many souls back to Him.

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Book of Mormon)

I believe that there are many seeds of truth in the book Added Upon but we must be careful so that we do not accept everything. In short, take the light and leave the darkness!

My Mom's Journal

So back in high school I thought my parents were super lame. I know a bit typical! So one day I found my mom’s journal in our storage room. It was one of her journals from high school and I don’t remember much about what it said.  I do remember that I realized my mom was young once. She had challenges. I did not know much about her childhood. I really only heard that she was a perfect daughter and had perfect parents. Which I could never live up to. 

In her journal, I remember, she wrote about an argument she had with her dad. She had wanted to go to a school dance that was a couple days before her 16^th birthday. Back in those days everyone took a date to dances so she could not go until she turned 16.  It was so close and her mom was willing to make an exception but her dad utterly refused to let her go and she was very upset with him.

I had a difficult time growing up with my parents. They had some issues and my relationships with my parents needed help. I am happy for this occasion, as I was able to relate to my mom a little better.  We are not a perfect family but we do love each other. We now talk every week even though we are miles and miles away. I am grateful for a mother who wrote in her journal without knowing that her future daughter would one day find it, read it, and  

be comforted.